Street-traffic-controlling apparatus.



y B.M.HARR1S; STREET TRAFFTC CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION ElLED JAN.25| 1915- RENEWED OCT. T8. 19H54 l,267,767".Patented May 28, 191g 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

B. M'. HARRIS.

STREET YRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPUcATmN msn 11111.25. 1915. `RENEWED 012118.15116. ,267,'?67.

Patented May 28, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 7 mVNTOR W 1% MW KVITN ESS ICS:

ATTORNEY B. M. HARRIS.

STREET 1IRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPL'ICATION4 m50 1AN.25.1915. RENEwED 00T. 18.1916.

Patented Muy 28, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 l5 LSSI S ATEX@ BENJMUQ' M. HARRIS, OE' SAN FRANCISCO,CALIEOEBH.,

STREET-TRAFFIC-CGNTROLLING PPARATUS.

lLcntlniieticn in part of apnlictiqn Seria No.y $38,055, filed May 12,191e. This application flied Jennery Specification of Letters etent.

Patented eit 25, 1915. SerialNo. ,198. Renewed OctoberA 123, 1916.Serial No. 126,425?,

'To all whom, 'it 'may concern.'

le it known that l, llnxJAniN M. Hnnnis,

.1i citizen of the United States. residing inY the city und county ofSan Francisco and Stute of California, have invented new and usefulimprovements in bitreet-Tleilic-Controlling Appnrzitusfof whichthc-following is u specification. i

This in\'cntionrelates to apparatus tor controlling trn'iiic :it streetintersections. I

lrniiic at congested streenintersections 1e generally controlled byineens of e change- :ihle signal system, eitherl zuidible'or visible, orboth, `signals ofone characteristic indicating one directionoftrailioand signals oi :i iliii'erent cl'niracteristic indicatinganother und different direction ot' travel.

My object is to provide e. inechnniczilly operated signal device capableof variation, whereby to give oli asignal of a different character uponsuccessive actuations and of like churicter on alternate zctuations.,the interval between the actuations being controlled ,by hund. and thevariation in the churcter of the iSignnls being produced automatically.

street truiiic controlling apparatus embody-v fin, carrying ont thisobject, I provide a.

in@ :in .audible signal capable of sounding one und two blasts inregular succession when :i signal switch or controlling member isactuated :ind e visible signal operating in unison therewith :1ndactuated by the saine power device. The entire mechanism is contr 'ledby n single switch mechanism, so thrt :ill the operator need do is toactunte this member in the sinne manner each time a. chiingein`the,direction of the traffic is deL sired, whereupon the proper signalswill ocou'r vto indicate the particular direction in Which'tlie traineis free to move..

"lne form which my invention muy nssuine is exemplified in ythefollowing description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich-- Figure l is ai, view of the apparetus es in stalled.

Fig. 2 is :t side elevation.

l* 3 is an end view.

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section.. .liigrf is u sectional plan ofthe actuating mechanism on line 5 5. Fig. 4.

Fig'. i? is u sectional detail of an intermittent clutch `for theshutter mechanism.

wvhich can be distinctly seen by day and night, and particularly whicheen be erranged or located so to be visible through the largestpossibleengle from the desired station or point of crossing, and whichwiil not occupyr any Sidewalk or street `eren its Support thereon,

To that end, my presentinvention cludes a simple casing er housing 2towhieii may be connected any suitable aerial-suspension structure, ascables 3, which in turn may be fastened to any convenient supports,

wie, for instance, trolley guys, poles, building walls, etc. Turneblymounted on the housing is a hollow, double-pointed direction indicator 4with signs stop on opposite sides und inclosing an illuminating ineens,es electric lights` 5. A beacon 6 me] be provided if desired. Theindicator l is secured to a tubular shaft 7 extending through e pendentbracket 2 of the housing 2; the shaft having e gear 8 engaged and drivenby n reduction train 9. The letter is actiatefl by a suitable motor 10in the housing.

Anysuitable means may be utilized for controlling the motor for movingthe indcator at desired periods from punition to i'iosition, end, hereshown, includes an insuflating arm 13 secured to shaft Y and cnr-r-rying a set or" brushes 14e- 14 engaging conergized by feed wires v-2lhaving a light controlling switch 22.

The motor 10 is connected tol the current ring 1G by a wire 23, the ringbeing cross connected by brush i6-416 to one 0 1' the inerme? Uponclosing clown operation, efer cert-ain hours, lie oiiicer simplycloees'tlie switch 57 to magnetically release tlie sie v Tile. indicator#l indicates7 by is pnrellcl position wili n si/ieel exis, limi lmiiicis to more init mi); und is blocked by the sign reading stop in lfnecross street. As n signal for cliiinggc of direction of travel. :inollicer l'ln'ows the conlrol switch and the inclor lerne the. indienlire desired angle, llilf'; syi'iclironou" die audible signal attentionend signifies e change in direction of moven'ient.

in Flan Francisco, (nlii'ornia, tiiislepparesourcil eoirtinnouelfv lijyclosing e switch 58 LBA for cross connecting lle motor circ-uil; wiresso that when the control :nvileh is in conlnct wili either and thesupplemental switch cloised, then the nxotor circuit will necontinuously close. This will cause ille motor to coninuoiealy runand'eo sweep tlm Signel inflicnlor and llie several brushes of 'lieeolleelor coninuously in a vcircle and canse the rapid sounnling of ellealarm.

epplicelion in sxibstiution and coiiinunien of my originel appliceiionNo. 7l-83,056, filed ille? i2, 19M.

in lie. presen?, flei'ice Lilie lime of opera lion ie conirolleii bylninilQenil ellis is ac compiimeci lay the nienipulntionoi a switchgerne manner upon each nellaion. @nce line machine is pui.; in operationlie ieizisien in clierecter olf the signals given on?, ie miren cere o1,enonmtically and lie neeii png; no eiention to this i limi the tinevariamails elimi- 'lferione in construction und 5 errnzigeinenil "theseveral. parle lierein snm/n described niej. ce employed Without(lepi'xrting from -lie spiil, of my invenpliore, and `which on August 4,1915, was' formally abandoned in iwor of thepresent eppllcaion. Saidprior application showed and lescmbeel a slreet trane controllingaipdifferent. directions on the succesisve ecunf tions.

Having time described my invention, wlmiA l claim und desire to. :secureby Leiters Patent, isfl. ln trui'lic signal nppnrntus,' :i signalingirdevice cnpulile of producing signnls'o varying charactei'istics,v ineensfor operating the device to produce n Signal of e cerlziinclinreceristic, other ineens for opernb ing.: ille device to produce nsignal of e difierent clizirecteristic, :and nlenns for operning thesignaling device to produce a tliiril signnl embodying lie lirsl; twosignals und to cliect n continuiil'ion of the production of sniil thirdsignal.

ln n lrallic sip/mil apparatus, n signal- -ing device czipnlile ofproducing sign-ils of viiiying clmz'nclerislics., electrical :nenne foroperating ille device to produce n signal of one clifiraieteristic,other electrical ineens for operating 'ille device to produce n signalol' il (liiierent characteristic, and ineens for operating ilie deviceto produce und repent n signal combining the. iii-s, two signals, thelutter being produced alternately relutive to each other. l

ln :i trniic signal apparatus, ai signal, ineens for operning lliesignal, n plurality oi means, eucli adapted for effecting inde,- pemlenloperai ion of the irsl ineens to cause the, production or" signals olf(lifi'ei'ent cliurectei'istics,` mul e single ineens for effecting enoperation of ille iris meansv lo'prodnce n, continuous signal embodying'ille relying signals leil'eetcfl luy the specified plurality oi'ineens.'

4. in a. trzillic signal apparatus, :in ululiole, signal n plnrnlit \vof electrical ineens for operating" the audible eigniil lo produce nuls,encli menne lacing independenily 'opclu nblc for producing;r a sig-milluv/ing clim'- ecl'erifsice (lill'ering from lliose of n nignul producedliv zinotlier oll seid means, nml elecriciil ineens for operziing thenmliblo signal to profluce n, signnl consisting of n continuous;repeningf of ille combined mulilile signi-ills ni'oi'esniil.

5. ln irnliic signal apparatus, n visible, semaphore. mechanism for'operaiing The semaphore. en audible signal operable coinciilenl. will;the visible Senliipliore, n plurality of electrical ineens for operaiingthe audible signal to produce signals, mieli means being independentlyoperable for p'i'oducing :l signal inning clinrncteristics-(lili'eringfrom those ol l1 signal produced by nnother of snifl ineens.nndelectricnl menus for operating the :Hubble-'signal to produce A asignal consisting' of u continuous repenting of the combined audiblesignals aiorey the signal to render the saine invisible, and

electrical means Ior operatingr the shutter to uncover the signal.

8, ln a traine signal apparatus, a movaole semaphore, a Whistle, uirlsupplying n'ieans for the Whistle, a valve for controlling the supply ofiiuifl, means for moving the semaphore on operation of the yalVe, and aval-ve operating mechanism foropening the Valve to produce alternately asingle and a double blastA 9. ln a traiic signal apparatus, a movablesemaphore, a whistle, iairi supplyingr means for the whistle, a valvefor controlling the supply of fluid, means for inovingthe semaphore onoperation of the valve, and a valve operating mechanism including' atrip lever. to open the valve, and a rotatable .rnernher provided with aplurality orn irregularly spaced pins adapted to trip the lever for itseecting alternate single and douhlehlasts l0. ln a trac signalapparatus, a signal, a shutter movably mounted Yte corel:- the same,means to more the shutter including a shaft, a rotatable meroher loosethereon and provided with an aperture, a second. rotatable member fixedon the shaft, a spring actuated lool; pin carried by the secondrotatable n'ieinoer and adapted to engage in the aperture of the iirstrotatable member to connect the two members, a sliflably mountedejecting member on the vlirst rotatable member adapted to disengage thelock pin Jfrom-the second rotatable member, a cain to actaate theejecting member, and means to hold the shaft in its rotated positionsubsequent to the unlocking or' the first and second rotatable members.

il. ln a traffic signal apparatus, a signal, a shutter n'iovaoly mountedto cover the saine, means to move the shutter including 'a shaft, arotatable member loose thereon and provided with an aperture,secontlrotatable member fixed on the shaft, a spring actuated lor-lr pincarried bytlie second ro tataolc member and adapted to engage in theaperture or' the first rotatable member to connect the two members, asliclahly mounted. ejer-ting nieniloer on the first rotatable nieniheradapted to olisengage the look pin freni the seeonfl rotatable niemeer,aoarn to actuate the ejecting member, and electrical releasalole' ineensto hold the shaft ,its rotate position. l

l2. ln tiaic signal apparatus, a signal, a hingedly Vinounteii shutteradapted to cover the signal, a slidalole rorl, a linlr conneoting therod to the shutter to open the latter,

and an electric mechanism for controllingthe movements of the rofl'.

i3., ln a traic signal apparatus, a casing, a signal, a tubular shaftsupporting the signal from the casing, a shatterfor the signalliingerlly niounterl on tlie latter, and ineens for operating theshutter including a reci extending from the signal through the tubularshaft to the casino". ,Y

isi. A semaphore for streetfcrossing trac, comprising a support,moi/'able semaphore carriecl thereby, a mechanism for moving saidsemaphore from one position to another, electrical ineens 'for operatingthe mechanism, means ior limiting the movenientyor the mechanism to stopthe phore in its several positions, and an audible signal devicecarried. by said support, the operation of which is controlled oy saidmechanism, sairl (levies including means for rendering audible signalsof iill'erent sharaoteristics, upon Asaocessire' movements or the visualsemaphore.

15. A iralic signal apparatus comprising a support, a isnal semaphoreniovabiy sap ported thereon, an aurliloie signal carried; loy

said support and capable oproducing eig nais of cliiierentcharacteristics, upon suc- (Lessive moi/onrein.,I of the semaphore, andmeans for moving the semaphore and pro iincing" the charaoteris'ticsignal from the audible signal,

lo. ina signal apparatus, a movable vis ihle semaphore, an aurlileiesignal operable with the semaphore, and means tor eecting the soundingoft' a single signal frein the audible signal on movement or thesemaphore'ancl the sounding ci a ouhle signal rie' from the audiblesignal on a successive Y movement of the semaphore.

l?. ln a signal apparatus, a rotatably niounterl semaphore, means forpartly rotating the semaphore, means for eecting a further' partrotation or the semaphore,

ineens for completely rotating the semaphore, an audible signal operablewith the semaphore, anal means associable with vthe aforesaid nieansorciecting a sounding oi n certain characteristic of the signal on izooperation of the semaphore by the first means, a sounding of a dierentcharacteristic' or the signal on operation lay the second means, and arepeating or", the combined sounilings of the signal on operation oy thethird means.

i8. .ln a street traiiic signallingf apparatus, iso

an intermittently operating, audible signal device to automaticallyproduce signals of different characteristics on successive actuations,and means for manually controlling the operation oi' said signal device.

19. ln a street traiiic signaling apparatus, an intermittentlyoperating, audible signal device to automatically produce signals ofdifferent characteristics on successive actuations and of likelcharacteristics on alternate actuations, and means for manuallycontrolling the operation of said signal device.

20. In a street trafiic signaling apparatus,

an audible signal device and meansr for actuating same at'any desiredintervals to automatically 'produce signals of diil'erentcharacteristics on successive actuations and oflike characteristics onalternate actuations.

21. ln-a street trallic signaling apparatus, an audible signal deviceand electrically operated means `for actuating the saine at any desiredintervals to automatically produce signals ot' diiierent characteristicson successive actuations and of like characteristics omalternateactuations.- i

22. In a street traliic signaling apparatus, I

an audible signal device, means for actuating the same intermittently toautomatically produce signals of ditierent characteristics on successiveactuations and means for manually controlling the operation of saidactuating means.

23. In a street traliic signaling apparatus, an audible signal device,means for interi'iittently actuating the same to autoinatically producesignals of diierent characteristics upon successive actuations andunitary means for manually controlling the operation of said actuatingmeans.

24. In a street travliic signaling apparatus, an audible signal device,an intermittently operating motorfor actuating same to automaticallyproduce signals of different characteristics on successive actuationsand means for manually controlling the operation of said motor.

25. ln a street traffic signaling apparatus, an audible signal device,an intermittently operating motor for actuating same toautomaticallylproduce signals otx dii/ferent characteristics onsuccessive actuations and a hand operated switch for controlling the operation of said motor.

26. lri a street traflic controlling apparatus, an audible signal,lmeans for intermittently actuating said audible signal to automaticallyproduce a ,single blast on one actuation, whereby to indicate onedirection of trafiic, and a double blast on the succeed.-V

28. In a street traiic controlling apparatus, an audible and a. visiblesignal variable in character for indicating 'a change in the directionof trailic, intermittently operating means for actuating the saidsignals to automatically indicate different direclil() tions onsuccessive actuations, and manually operated ymeans for controlling theoperation of said actuating means. l

29. In a street traliic controlling apparatus, an audible signal, meansfor actuating the same andcontrolling means for =said actuating means,whereby to automatically produce intermittently one and two blasts inregular succession at any desired intervals to indicate differentdirections of .traflic, and controlling means for said actuating means,whereby to ,produce continu-- ously a succession of one and two blasts.

80. In a street traflic signaling apparatus, a whistle, a turnableindicator, actuating means for the same and controlling means for saidactuating means,.whereby to ,automatically produce, at any desiredinterval,

Aone and two blastsbf the whistle on successive actuations and a changeof direction of the indicator in accordance therewith and controllingmeans for said actuating means, whereby to produce continuously asuccession of one and two blasts of the whistle and a continuousmovement of the indicator.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN M. HARRIS.

